“The tongue of the wise dispenses knowledge”: The Hebrew of this line, as the Revised Standard Version footnote shows, has “makes knowledge good” in place of “dispenses knowledge”. However, Hebrew Old Testament Text Project rates the text as “A” and interprets the line as “The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge.” “The tongue of the wise” refers to the speech or teaching given by the wise, as in Good News Translation. Good News Translation follows the recommendation of Hebrew Old Testament Text Project with “make knowledge attractive.” We may also translate this line, for example, “The speech of the wise ones makes knowledge lovely,” “Knowledge is made beautiful in the words of wise people,” or “When a wise man talks, everybody is glad and wants to know more.”

“But the mouths of fools pour out folly”: “The mouths of fools” contrasts with “The tongue of the wise” and again refers to what fools say. “Fools” are described in 1.7 and 1.22 as people who hate wisdom and instruction. “Pour out” renders a verb meaning to flow or bubble up in reference to water. In relation to speech it is used figuratively to mean “burst out with speech.” See Good News Translation “spout nonsense.” One translation renders this line as “but when a fool talks, he just throws empty words around.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .